Liquid-fuel-vending machine



L. LATHAMQ.

LIQUID FUEL VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16, 1919'.

1,338,229, Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

L. unmuw.

\ LIQUI D FUEL VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16, 1919.

1,338,229, Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

, 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WI TNESSES I N VEN TOR.

M ,4 aona 2 a? 44: 4 7

fll I I A TTORNE Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT ohm-on.

LEONARD LATHAIVI, or coLUnB s, onro.

LIQUID-FUEL-VENDING MACHINE.

Application filed April 15,

from which gasolene may be vended or from which any other suitable liquid fuel may be dispensed.

One object of the invention is the production of a liquid fuel vending machine wherein a coin controlled mechanism is ineluded which may be operated only after the insertion of a coin into the machine, whereupon the mechanism may be operated to allow the liquid fuel to be. first passed into a measuring tank and'then the mechanism may be again actuated to allow the liquid fuel carried within the tank to be dispensed therefrom through suitable conveying means to a receptacle of the purchaser.

Another object of this invention is the production of a liquid fuel vending machine wherein a coin controlled means is included possessed of a pair of valves, thus allowing one valve to operate for permitting liquid fuel to pass into the tank, while the remaining valve actuates to prevent escape of such fuel, whereby after the tank has been filled the first mentioned valve will be operated to cut off the flow of further liquid into the tank, while the last mentioned valve will be opened to permit the escape of the liquid fuel to pass through suitable conveying means to a receptacle of the purchaser.

One practical form of construction and assembly of the present invention will be hereinafter described and is illustrated in the drawings, in which.

Figure 1 is front elevation of the liquid fuel vending machine, a portion of the device being broken away and shown in section.

2 is a side elevation of the device, partly in vertical section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary tional view through the device.

Fig. 4: is a fragmentary detail perspective view of the coin controlled mechanism.

" In the preferred embodiment of the pres- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

1919. Serial No. 290,452.

ing a base? carried upon a suitable sup-.

port. This casing 5 has a door 8 of any suitable construction upon one side or in the back thereof to facilitate access to the interior of the casing. v

The measuring tank 9 is carried within the casing 5 and'is supported by the cross members 10 secured within the casing or may be supported in any manner desired. This tank 9 may be of any desired shape and of any desired size although it is preferable that the same be of suflicient size to contain at least 5 gallons. The front side of the tank 9 is provided with an opening 11 corresponding with. a like opening 12 in the front of the casing 5. A pane of glass 13 is positioned within the tank to close the opening 11 in the front thereof, an angle member 14 being employed Within the tank for forming a liquid tight joint. Thus the interior of the tank may be viewed although the manner in which the pane of glass is supported will prevent the accidental leaking of the liquid fuel from the tank. In order to allow a proper quantity of liquid to be passed into the tank before being dispensed a movable top 15 is carried therein as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This movable top 15 fits snugly within the tank and is of such size as to prevent the accidental leaking or escape of liquid fuel 3. This rod 16 has a head 17 on its lower end carried by the bracket 18 secured to the oottom. of the tank. This rod also extends through the sleeve 1.9 of the movable top 15 and is provided with an operating knob or head 20 upon its upper end. Therefore, as the rod 16 is rotated in either of two directions it will be noted that the top 15 moves toward the bottom of the tank or toward the top-thereof. Accordingly. as the price of liquid fuel varies, an authorized party may open the door 8 and by turning the head 20 may regulate the movable top 15, viewing the same through the glass pane 13 to have a suflicient space withln the tank for receiving a proper quantity of liquid fuel according to the amount of the coin to be inserted into the controllin mechanism to be hereinafter described.

if fuel supply pipe 21 is provided and is adapted to be connected to a suitable source of liquid supply, such for instance as a compressed air tank of liquid fuel, not deemed necessary to be herein illustrated. The upper end of this supply pipe 21 communicates with the interior of the tank 9 as shown in Fig. 3. However, a valve housing 22 is interposed between the ends of the pipe 21 and has a rotary gate valve 23 carried therein from which extends the shaft 24 having a cross arm 25 fixed upon its outer. end as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 4. Therefore, as the cross arm 25 is rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in Fi 4, the valve will be turned from its cross position illustrated in Fig.

3 and will permit liquid fuel to pass through the pipe 21 into the tank. However, under normal conditions, the valve is carried as shown in Fig. 3, thus preventing the passage of liquid fuel into the tank 9.

An elbow 2.6 has its inner end connected as indicated at 27 with the interior of the tank 9 and constitutes the means by which the liquid fuel after being measured within the tank is dispensed. therefrom. It will be noted that this elbow 26 leads from the casing 5 to communicate with the exterior thereof and is retained in position by jam nuts or other securing elements 28. The usual. hose 29 is clamped upon the projecting end. of the elbow 26 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

To close this elbow 26 as liquid fuel is being measured within. the tank or to allow the same to be opened. when the liquid fuel is to be dispensed therefrom, there is provided avalve 30 having a stem 31. pro idcd-with a horizontal portion 32 terminating in a bent end 33. A spring 34 carried upon the stem31 and bears upon. thehorizontal portion 32 and also upon the elbow 26 to normally pull the valve toward'a seated position upon theinner end of the elbow 26. It will be noted that the bent end 33 is carried by an angular bracket 35 supported bythe tank 9 or in any other desired way and has an eye 36 receiving the bent end for guiding the same in its movement. An arcuate cam strip 37 is fixed upon one end of the cross arm 25 in the path of movement of the bent end 33 of the stem31 of the valve 39. When the valve 23 is in a closed pcsition as indicated in the drawings, the arm 25 will extend vertically and for this reason the bent end 33 will be resting upon the cam strip 3'7. Therefore, the valve 39 .willbe held in a raised position, against the tension.

of the spring 34,'thus allowing the liquid fuel within the tank to be dispensed therefrom. i

In order to open the valve 23 and close the valve 30, a slide bar 38 is carried by the casing 5 and has ahead 39 upon its outer end. The inner end of this slide bar 38 is connected by the links 40 to the cross arm 25, adjacent the end thereof having the cam strip 37. A bracing bracket of any desired construction and indicated at 41 is secured to the casing and the slide bar 38 passes therethrough, thus being steadied adjacent its inner end. g, I i

In orderto hold the bar 38 against unauthorized movement, a retaining clip 42 is fixed upon the slide bar 38 and also passes through the bracket 41, having an angular inner end 43 as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. A

trip lever 44 is pivotally mounted as ll1(ll cated at 45 within the casing and is normally pulled in one direction by the coiled spring 46.. Therefore, this trip lever 44 will normally fit behind the angular end 43 of the clip 42, thus holding the slide bar 38 against being pulled outwardly. It will be noted that the lever 44 will be reinforced by the bracket 41 when retaining the clip 42 against unauthorized movement.

The rear end of the trip lever 44 is provided with a receiving trough'47 carried directly under the coin chute 48. This coin chute may be supported within the casing. 1n any deslred manner and is prov ded wlth a flared upper end. 49 as shown in Fig. 2.

A coin slide 50 is carried by a suitable sup wardly through the chute 48 and finally dirented thereinto from the trough 47 as the same swings downwardly as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3. q As above explained, the device under normal conditions will assume the condition illustrated in the several figures the drawing. At this time, the cross arm 25 will be extending vertically, causing'the valve 23 to be turned to a cut off position, while the thorized movement by t 1e trip lever 44 engaging the angular end 43 of the clip. 42.

When a purchaser desires a quantity of the liquid fuel, avprop er coin is inserted into the slide 59, which then moved inwardh.

The coin will pass downwardly through the. into the trough 47 to swing the chute s 0 valve 30 will be in raised condition and V the slide bar 38 will be held against unautrough downwardly and the forward end of the trip lever 44 upwardly. It should be understood that the strength of the coiled spring 46 should be sufficient to hold the trip lever against swinging unless a coin of the proper value is inserted into the chute. the proper coin engages the trough 47 it will be swung downwardly as shown in Fig. 4 lifting the forward end of the trip lever from engagement with the angular end of the clip 42. Therefore, the purchaser may grip the element 39 and pull the same outwardly, thus pulling the slide bar 38 forwardly, causing the links 40 to pull upon the cross arm and thus rotate the shaft 24 of the valve 23. This action will cause the valve 23 to open the passage through the pipe 21, whereupon liquid fuel will pass into the interior of the measuring tank 9. As the cross arm 45 is swung as just specified, the cam strip 37 thereof will disengage the end 33 of the stem 31 of the valve 80, whereupon the tension of the coiled spring 34 will quickly shift the valve 30 into a closed or' seated position upon the inner end of the elbow 26. Liquid fuel will continue to pass into the tank 9 until rising to such a level as it will engage the movable top 15. As this top 15 is so received within the tank as to provide liquid tight engagement with the tank aro md the side edges thereof, when the tank is filled'to such an extent as to cause the liquid to engage this top, further passing of liquid into the tank is prevented.

The purchaser also seeing the liquid engaging the top will know that the proper quantity is received within the tank.

While this action is taking place, the weight of the coin will cause the trough 47 to swing down far enough to allow the coin to roll therefrom and pass down into the coin box 52. Accordingly, the tension of the coiled spring 46 will have returned the trip lever 44 to its normal horizontal position.

After the tank has been filled as above specified, the purchaser moves the element 39 inwardly to shift the bar 38 inwardly, whereupon the links 40 will move the cross arm 25 to a vertical position. This causes the shaft 24 to rotate to turn the valve 23 to a cut off position, while the cam strip 37 will.

engage the lower portion of the bent end 33 thus lifting the valve 30 from its position upon the elbow, whereupon the liquid fuel will pass from the tank 9 through the elbow 26 and the hose 29 to the purchasers receiving receptacle, such for instance as the usual gasolenetank of an automobile. As the bar 38 is moved inwardly to cause the valves to be operated as specified and allow the purchaser to receive the gasolene or other liquid fuel he has paid for, the angular end 43 of the clip 42 will raise the lever 44 sufficiently to pass thereunder and then the lever will from the tank and received in the receptacle cred the preferred, or approved form of my snap back into position in front of the angular end 43 thus again retaining the clip and consequently the bar 38 against further shifting until a proper coin is again inserted into the chute as above specified.

It will be seen that a liquid fuel vending machine has been provided wherein the valves are normally carried in position which will prevent the passing of liquid fuel into the tank although the tank will be drained by the manner in which the valve 30 is held in a raised position. However, when the proper coin is inserted into the device it will operate to release the manually actuated mechanism, whereupon the purchaser may operate this mechanism to open one valve and close the remaining valve until the tank is filled properly with the liquid fuel. Then the valves may be returned to their normal positions by further 'manual operation thereof, whereupon the flow of liquid fuel into the tank may be cut off, although the liquid fuel thus measured within the tank may be easily dispensed of the purchaser. 1

The foregoing description and the drawings have reference to what may be considinvention. It is to be understood that may make such changes in construction and arrangement and combination of parts, materials, dimensions, et cetera, as may prove expedient and fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention,'what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:--

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a tank, a supply pipe communicating with said tank and being provided with a rotary valve having a shaft leading therefrom and provided with a cross arm, an arcuate cam strip carried by said arm, a dispensing elbow leading from said 110 tank andhaving a valve provided with a stem, means for urging said stem in one direction to pull the last mentioned valve toward a seated position upon said elbow, said stem normally resting upon said cam 115 strip, whereby the last mentioned valve will be held in an open condition, and means for swinging said cross arm, thus causing connected to said cross arm, a dispensing elbow leading from said tank, a valve having a spring pressed stem connected to said elbow for closing the passage therethrough, said stem normally resting upon said arouate strip, whereby said last mentioned valve will be normally held in a raised condition, a slide bar having links connected to said cross arm, whereby said slide bar may be pulled tocause the links to swing said'cross arm and allow the shaft to operate the first mentioned valve and permit liquid fuel to pass through the tank, while the cam strip will disengage said stem for permitting the first mentioned valve to be moved to a closed position, after which the cross ,arm may be moved toits original position to out ofi the first mentioned valve and open the last mentioned valve to permit the liquid fuel within the tank to be dispensed therefrom.

V In testimony whereof I affix my'signature in presence of two witnesses.

v LEONARD LATHAM. Witnesses HELEN M. HEoHT, Lnn F. JOHNSTON. 

